Courage the cowardly Filipino

I find it amusing, and yet not surprising at all, that the cases of the Filipino peacekeepers assigned to the United Nations and of the Gilas Pilipinas Basketball team going to play in the FIBA tournament in Spain are being held up in social media as indicators of Filipino “courage”, and consequently, Filipino pride.

The Filipino peacekeepers in the UN were engaged in a firefight with hostile militants in the Golan Heights. As certain analysts pointed out, the Filipino soldiers could have simply laid down their arms and surrendered, then they probably would have been beheaded by their captors. But the soldiers did not surrender, and they fought the hostiles until help arrived which enabled them to escape. And now, that they didn’t surrender and defended their position is being held up as an example of “Filipino courage as a whole”.

The Gilas Pilipinas Basketball team certainly appears to be outmatched in height and skill by their opponents in the FIBA tournament in Spain. Both the fans and the team members themselves like to argue, however, that they more than make up for it with laban (fighting spirit), and puso (heart). The result of their first game against Croatia, however, was an overtime loss. And once again, Filipinos love to play up the underdog card, the “courage in the face of overwhelming odds” thing, and the “if only the referees didn’t miss a few calls” excuse.

I guess some things don’t change. Hindi makamove-on sa pagkatalo. But I digress.

We certainly don’t want to take away from the efforts of both the peacekeepers and the Gilas team, but I would have to consider showing courage as part of the job, and to be expected. Leave it to the Filipinos to make a mountain out of a molehill with their kababayans who simply do things properly, and those who simply do the right thing even in the face of very unfavorable – terrifying even – circumstances.

In fact, that is an often used quote about courage: “Courage isn’t just a matter of not being frightened. It’s being afraid and doing what you have to do anyway.”

The real point I want to make, however, is this: if Filipinos are so proud of their so-called “courage”, then where’s the display and demonstration of it back home, where it matters the most?

The cases of the peacekeepers and the Gilas team appear to be extraordinary to Filipinos especially since both of them happened on foreign soil. But location does not really matter; Filipinos have a need to be courageous in their own backyard as well. They are currently facing a government that has not delivered on its promises to its people and is much too absorbed with perpetuating its power and position. They are up against a government which does not care about the deteriorating basic needs and services that they have failed to provide. They are up against the old system of patronage and pakitang-tao politics that have characterized the Philippines landscape for decades. They are up against their own inability to adapt to change and to take criticism and critical analysis. Worst of all, they are facing their own cultural dysfunction, apathy, indifference, and their lack of follow-through in fixing the overall sorry state of their society.

Taken from: http://izquotes.com/quote/262164

It has long been said that more than cowardice, conformity is the enemy of courage. Filipinos have long been afraid to speak up because of their fear of ostracism. They have long been unable to handle criticism to their benefit due to their hypersensitive character. They have long been conditioned to conform because of their deference to tradition and “the old-guard” even in the face of overwhelming evidence that the old ways don’t necessarily work anymore.

Filipinos must find in themselves the courage to speak up against what does not work in their society. They must find in themselves the courage to stop treating their public servants as kings and queens who cannot be admonished and are infallible. They need to find the courage to stop being lazy both physically and intellectually. They need to find the courage to promote the right type of thinking and the right type of discussion and debate in their society.

All of these will be a big step forward for Filipinos simply because they cannot find it in themselves to do the unpopular but right thing.

Is it as easy as I make it sound? I thought Filipinos were proud of being courageous. Isn’t it high time that they do show that collective strength of character that they boast of?

Noynoy would be courageous if he did one of two things : 1) campaign on the fact he has no accomplishments that set him apart from his opponents . 2) come out of the closet . But we all know there has never been a brave man anywhere who kept pointing to his mommy,

Courage? What courage? There was no real firefight between the Islamic miltants and the Filipino peacekeepers. In actual firefights;there would be casualties: death or wounded.
To magnify such “pusturahan”, as courage is riduculous. So, they ESCAPED…that means they did not really fight.

It is like the Courage of Aquino, during the Hostage Crissis in Luneta….he jumped into his Hole…and that means courage to him.

Filipinos cannot take defeat…so they rationalize their defeat…we just say: they did not play well…so, they were defeated…

ANC is now calling it “the great escape” like its some kind of heroic effort in the face of impossible odds while, at the same time, belittling the Fijian Troops for getting captured.People should understand a few things… 1) The UN AFP troops were captured and held captive twice at the same location by Libyan Rebels before this incident. 2) This time, the AFP retreated “undercover of darkness” and with foreign assistance. In short, they abandoned their posts. 3) The Fijians did NOT retreat. They stayed at their posts. The news media and Filipinos in general chastise the Fijians for… Read more »

I beg to disagree… 1. Our military peacekeepers in the Golan heights area held the line for a while. These men are just combat infantry without armor or air support. 2. Military expediency called for a retrograde operation to keep the unit intact to fight another day. The enemy rebel soldiers would have certainly surrounded them and once captured they would be all ransomed or murdered on the spot. 3. You can call it a tactical withdrawal, retreat or retrograde operation. They left the area for a reason. The orders were not to hold. They were not considered as expendable… Read more »

You must be tired not to get the point. Orders are orders… the Philippine infantry was withdrawn to fight another day. They suffered no defeat and they certainly are not cowards! You have to be in the military to understand that there is victory when a unit lives to fight another day. Yes I was with the military in the 70’s and 80’s. I repeat OUR TROOPS ARE NOT COWARDS!

SNIPPETS FROM THE PHILIPPINE STAR You are all wrong read the Philippine Star today Sept. 2, 2014 page 8 headlines. “Pinoys defied UN commander’s order to surrender.” Pahiya kayo ano? “By defying orders from their Indian commander, the 40 Filipino peacekeepers belonging to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)managed to hold their ground and avoid being overpowered by attacking al-Qaeda-linked Syrian rebels last Saturday.” Our troops did not surrender their weapons. “Catapang said the Filipino troops’ decision to hold their ground AND FIGHT THE REBELS FOR MORE THAN SEVEN HOURS LAST SATURDAY was well within the self-security protection mandate… Read more »

Kemeo: That is not how things work. That is stupidity. One’s race and country are accidents of birth. Why feel proud of the coincidence that you share some of the same features with a person or group of people who accomplished something due to their own hard work and diligence.

That is like a fan in a football stadium screaming, “We won!” An example of heroism to me are the Doctors Without Borders and other health workers who are tending to the sick in ebola infested Africa. Now that takes guts!

superlucky 20: Our reason is what elevates us above the Animal Kingdom. Being ruled exclusively by our emotions makes us susceptible to priests and politicians who use the “us against them” fiction to gain personal power; at our expense.

Why are you complaining of dissenting opinions? You have a grand time bashing all things Filipino like it was going out of style and then complain that someone is bashing you and your ilk? Stop making me laugh with your onion skin. Benign0 should have a word with you. You are not practicing what you preach.